In medical testing and processing (e.g., immunoassay testing and/or clinical analysis), robotics have been used to minimize exposure to, or contact with, bodily fluid samples (otherwise referred to as “specimens”) and/or to increase productivity. For example, in some existing automated testing and processing systems, reagent dispensing packs may be provided in accessible locations, that may have multiple compartments containing different reagents. Likewise, sample containers (such as blood collection tubes or the like) may be provided at another location, such as in a sample rack. Conventionally, both the blood collection tubes and reagent dispensing packs have been accessed by pipettes. One pipette aspirates a predetermined amount of the specimen and dispenses it into a reaction vessel (e.g., cuvette), while one or more other pipettes aspirate one or more reagents and also dispenses them into the reaction vessel. The reaction vessel may be placed in an incubation ring and then incubated for a defined period of time. Once the reaction is sufficiently completed, the reacted sample, which may be bound to a solid phase particle (e.g., a magnetic particle) may go through a wash process on the incubation ring to separate the components of interest bound to a solid phase from various unbound components. The contents of the reaction vessel may then separated from the solid phase and read by a suitable test apparatus on the incubation ring, such as a luminometer. This testing may determine a characteristic, typically a concentration of a component in the reacted sample.
Although existing testing apparatus and methods may provide suitable efficiencies, more efficient testing apparatus and methods are sought to further reduce processing time and cost, as well as overall testing system cost. Additionally, more capable testing systems (immunoassay instruments or clinical analyzers) are desired that may undergo different incubation times, multiple reagent additions, multiple incubations and/or multiple wash steps. Accordingly, apparatus and methods that may improve speed and/or capability in biological specimen testing are desired.